Saturday, July 20, 2013

Warbeast - Destroy

Many fans of Texas thrash probably remember Rigor Mortis as
being the pinnacle of what that scene offered, but I have always been a huge
Gammacide fan. There has never been a thrash record quite like “Victims of
Science”, nor will there ever be. This is why when I heard of a new band
combining the two greatest Texas thrash bands, it was something I just had to
hear. “Krush The Enemy” was a fantastic debut, with plenty of hard-hitting
riffs and the maniac vocals of Bruce Corbitt. Though one Gammacide guitarist
has since left Warbeast, I still had great interest in the follow-up,
“Destroy”.

The first thing you’ll notice about this new record is that
it is heavier, faster, and more brutal than the last one. The production is
crushing; the drumming is relentless, and the guitars have a fantastic crunch
to them. It does seem like the guitars could benefit from being a bit clearer,
but this sound is sure to please fans of the genre. After a short riff-filled
intro, the album really kicks off with “Nightmares In The Sky”, which will
bludgeon you over the head with its sheer aggression and violence. Things get a
bit more mid-paced with the next track, “Egotistical Bastard”. The vocal
delivery in this song is quite a bit different from the others, mainly because
the lyrics tell more of a story here than on some of the other tracks. Like the preceding
track, there is an abundance of guitar solos, and there is absolutely no regard
to doing anything beyond shredding at full speed. The chorus of “Egotistical
Bastard” is pure Cannibal Corpse worship based on the types of intervals and
picking patterns they are using (seriously, compare it to anything on “The
Bleeding”, or anything other Cannibal Corpse record). From here on out, the
album falls a bit flat for me. The endless stream of speed and brutality is
not backed up with memorable riffs. Likewise, the choruses are nothing that
will keep you coming back to this album.

When you want 40 minutes of unrelenting energy, this album
is a good choice, but it doesn’t match the quality of the debut album. The
unfortunate fact is that thrash has an unending number of bands that can bring
the speed, so it really is essential to write great songs. Still though, “Destroy”
has some legendary thrash members playing on it, and for that reason alone, it
is worth hearing.